To Tempt Fate
by Gorlando
Summary: On his way back to the future, Trunks gets sidetracked to the Final Fantasy VII world.
1. Complete.

Disclaimer: Dragon ball Z is Copyrighted (c) by Akira Toriyama, Bird Studio, Shueisha, and Toei Animation. Licensed by FunAnimation Inc. All Rights Reserved. Final Fantasy VII is Copyrighted (c) by Square Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 

This is An Alternate-Universe Crossover, between Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Ball Z. The Time Frame is just after the Cell Saga and Trunks is on his way back home. And Sephiroth has just gone crazy in Nibelheim.

Thoughts

# To Temp Fate

Chapter 1.

"Well this is it, it's time for me to go," Trunks said to the gathered crowd as he prepped his time machine for take off. "I still have to take care of the Androids in my time line." 

"Yeah, but with what you've learned here, it shouldn't be a problem. Right?" Bulma asked her grown up son, sounding a little worried. Imagine, her son, the last warrior of the world. 

"It'll be a piece of cake!" Trunks exclaimed with a thumbs up. He looked at the group assembled before him, Gohan, Kurrilin, Yamcha, his mom and grandparents. A smirk appeared on his face when he saw his younger self. He would miss them all. They were great friends. For a while, they were the family he had always wanted but never had. 

His gaze finally fell upon the figure standing next to a tree, the only one apart from the group. Vegitta. His father. Even after the year they spent together in the Room of Spirit and Time, Vegitta was still a mystery to him. 

Perhaps that's how it was meant to be. At least now he knew that underneath the arrogance and superiority, Vegitta cared for him and his mom. After all, Vegitta did get mad when he died. 

Vegitta stared at his son with dispassionate eyes. "Hmmp. Don't expect a hug from me just because you're my son." 

"I wouldn't dream of one," Trunks smirked. "Good-bye, father," he turned one last time to his friends and waved good-bye before entering his time machine. The craft hovered briefly in the air before vanishing. 

Looking up at the sky, Vegitta's lips curled into a smile. "Good bye, son." 

Trunks leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. He was tired and now was as good a time as any to take a nap. He was confident that the computer would stay on course while the ship moved through the pathways of time. Besides, time travel always made him sleepy. 

With a huge yawn, Trunks drifted into a dreamless sleep, missing the flashing red light on his console. The time machine encountered some type of warp in the pathways of time. The computer made a decision and steered 20 degrees to the left of the anomaly, changing its course and destination. 

---- 

"How does it feel?" Sephiroth asked a young recruit. 

"Hun?" said Cloud as he watched a girl with long brunette hair run off in tears. Tifa. He shook his head and looked at the piercing green eyes of his commanding officer. "How does what feel, sir?" 

"It's your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right?" asked Sephiroth. "So how does it feel?" Cloud was about to reply, but Sephiroth continued on. "I wouldn't know because I don't have a home town." 

"But what about your parents, sir?" 

"My mother was Jenova, she died right after giving birth to me. My father," here, Sephiroth began to shake with a cold and hollow sounding laughter that sent a chill down Cloud's spine. "What does it matter," he turned to a spiky black haired SOLDIER. "Let's go." 

They walked through the town in silence, no one bothered them, and the people stayed inside their houses with their doors locked and peeking through the cracks of closed windows. They came to a stop at the front of an Inn and Sephiroth turned to face his subordinates. "Zack and I will get our rooms," He looked at Cloud and one other recruit, "there's no reason for both of you to be on guard. Cloud, you go ahead and visit your family." with that, he turned and entered the building, immediately followed by Zack. 

Cloud spent the rest of the day familiarizing himself with Nibelheim. He didn't know how to feel. When he had seen Tifa sitting there, he wanted to go over and talk to her, but he just couldn't. Too much time had passed, and he was ashamed that he never made it in SOLDIER like he had promised her. 

Nibelheim no longer felt like home to him. Perhaps it never really was. He breathed a heavy sigh and got up from his bed. His mother was in the kitchen, humming an old lullaby that he vaguely remembered from his childhood. 

"My how you've grown," She said. "I bet the girls just can't keep their hands off you." 

"No, not really, mom," Cloud stated dryly. 

"Oh? I'm surprised. Anyway I think you need to get yourself a girlfriend. Someone older," She studied his expression of distaste and broke into a smile. "Yes, that's what you need, a nice girlfriend to take care of you." 

---- 

The next day, Sephiroth and his men, being led by a perky brunette named Tifa, set off for the Reactor at the top of Mt. Nibel. The journey was not an easy one, but by high noon, they finally reached their destination. Sephiroth and Zack entered alone despite Tifa's protestations to the young recruit guarding her. 

"What is that--that thing?" Zack asked with a hint of fear in his voice. He quickly withdrew his huge Buster sword and held the weapon with shaking hands. 

Sephiroth studied the dying creature, and his once emotionless eyes sparkled with fire. "NO!! Was this how I was created? Hojo, you bastard!!" Sephiroth screamed as he drew Masamune, the blade made an eerie sound as it cut through the air and slammed against one of the Mako tanks. 

Zack jumped backwards off the platform that Sephiroth was on, barely in time to avoid being hit by one of Sephiroth's wild swings. "What are you talking about? What's wrong with you?" 

Sephiroth ignored Zack, lost in his own world, a world that was slowly crumbling around him. A monster! he thought fiercely. Hojo has turned me into a monster! His arms were growing tired, and his swings slowed to a stop as all his energy seemed to leave him. I must know more. without a word or glance at Zack, he left the reactor. Zack could do nothing but follow, confused and worried about his commander. 

---- 

The night was cool and refreshing. Cloud took in long deep breaths as he stood outside Tifa's window. He didn't really know what he was doing there, but he was leaving tomorrow. He had to see her a least once more, if nothing else than to say sorry for disappointing her, for not being strong enough to be in SOLDIER, and for not being able to be her hero. 

A large explosion to the north startled him, and his eyes widened in horror when he saw the well at the center of town being engulfed in flames. Instincts and hard training caused Cloud to react faster than he realized. Before he knew it, he was running towards the center of town. Only to be caught in a blast of black smoke that sent him hurling backwards. He landed flat on his back, the wind in his lungs knocked forcefully out, leaving him teetering on the verge of unconsciousness. He looked up at the sky, and if he weren't so close to passing out, he would have sworn he saw something metallic appear out of thin air. 

---- 

Loud sirens and flashing lights rudely awakened Trunks. It only took him a second to realize that something had gone wrong, and he wasn't where he was supposed to be. He could feel a powerful and malevolent presence at the edge of his senses but couldn't pin point its location. 

He looked outside the canopy, and the sight of a town engulfed with flames greeted him. He hurriedly landed his Time Machine and rushed out, not even bothering to turn it into a capsule. 

The smell of burning flesh was thick and to his acute Saiyajin nose, the smell made him want to vomit. He saw a blue image to the north moving swiftly towards the mountains. Not knowing what else to do, Trunks hurriedly followed. 

The malevolent presence he felt before seemed to grow stronger. It's palpable aura almost suffocating him. He finally reached a large structure that looked vaguely like a power plant. The whole place reeked of power and Trunks shivered slightly. He powered up to SSJ before entering the building. His lank purple hair spiked up and turned golden. His body grew leaner and his eyes shifted from a deep blue to a crystal green. 

Ignoring his feeling of doom, Trunks entered the structure. Inside, he saw a man with spiky black hair who appeared to be dead, hunched over a container of some sort; blood dripping from his temples. 

A soft moan caught his attention, and he moved to help a barely conscious girl. He knelt to his knees and gently lifted her head to his lap. Her eyes opened and locked onto his. With a weak voice, she whispered, "Cloud," before passing out. 

He heard a cry of pain from the room above, and laying the girl's head back down, Trunks stood to his feet as the door slid open and out walked what appeared to be his twin. 

Their eyes locked onto each other,soft sky-blue eyes vs. the piercing green eyes that Trunks possessed in his SSJ form. Before either one of them realized what had happened, a huge blade pierced through the young man's chest and laughter could be heard from inside the upstairs room. 

The blade was withdrawn slowly, and the youth's body tumbled unceremoniously down the steps. Landing in a pool of his blood. Trunks looked at the new figure, and he was almost completely overwhelmed with trepidation. Whoever this person was, he was the source of the growing power that Trunks had been sensing since his arrival. 

The figure stood tall, almost a full foot taller than Trunks himself, his long silver hair almost reached down to his heels, and his eyes sparkled with the promise of future pain for whoever was in his way. He walked down the stairs, making each step slow and deliberate, completely ignoring all those around him. 

Trunks could do nothing but watch, spell-bound by the raw power that was barely being contained. After what seemed like an eternity, the figure stepped out the door, and what ever spell he was in seemed to lift. 

"Kill, Sep...Sephiroth," said Trunk's physical twin, who surprisingly, was still alive. Drawing his sword from its scabbard, Trunks nodded his head and ran after the fleeing figure. 

He caught up with Sephiroth on the bridge, over the Reactors core. The heat from the furnace biting uncomfortably on Trunks skin. "Stop!" Trunks yelled in the most commanding voice he could muster. 

Sephiroth stopped in mid-step and without looking back, he said. "Do not interfere stranger, and I promise not to kill you until a later date." 

Trunks gave a snort in reply and with a loud KIA he lunged towards Sephiroth with his sword, hoping to skewer this abomination. With lightning speed to rival even a Saiyajin, Sephiroth parried Trunks sword with Masamune and quickly brought his sword up again for a slash across Trunks chest. 

Their swords clashed against each other at speeds unfathomable by normal humans, but Sephiroth was already wounded. His severe loss of blood was hindering his movements. He missed a thrust to his gut, and Trunks' blade pierced through his stomach and out his back. 

"This can't be!" Sephiroth exclaimed as he began to cough up blood. 

Trunks lifted Sephiroth into the air with his sword and with all his might, threw the silver haired warrior over the bridge and into the swirling mako energy below. 

There was a loud explosion, and the world became an intense white light before turning into darkness as the sweet oblivion of unconsciousness welcomed him. 

End of Chapter 1.


	2. Teaser

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Dragon ball Z is Copyrighted (c) by Akira Toriyama, Bird Studio, Shueisha, and Toei Animation. Licensed by Funanimation Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Final Fantasy VII is Copyrighted (c) by Square Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

This is An Alternate-Universe Crossover, between Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Ball Z. The Time Frame is just after the Cell Saga and Trunks is on his way back home. And Sephiroth has just gone crazy in Nibelheim.

Thoughts

**Five Years Later...**

Zack opened his tired eyes to the world around him. Five years! he thought fiercely. Five years in this hell hole! If he ever got out of this place Hojo would be a dead man! 

He looked at the tank next to him to Cloud's still form. As usual Cloud was out of it. He banged on the glass trying to get his friend's attention. Cloud jerked his head up and stared at Zack with an incoherent expression. 

It's feeding time," Zack scratched on the wall of his glass prison. "We'll get out when they feed us..." 

To Tempt Fate 

Chapter 2. 

Tifa walked towards the train station at Sector Seven, lost in thought. A cold wind blew against her skin, and she rubbed her arms to keep warm. She had often complained about her attire, which consisted of a tight fitting short shirt that accentuated her rather generous bust, a black leather mini-skirt that made her already long legs seem longer, and a pair of brown combat boots. It was an odd combination of clothes, but when you lived in the slums, you made do with what you had. 

The smell of pollution in the air made her want to vomit, and a sour expression appeared on her porcelain face. Today had not gone well at all. Her bar, 'Tifa's Seventh Heaven', was frequently visited, but it made very little profit. After all, how are you supposed to make money when the regulars didn't have any gil. 

Her thoughts wandered to her youth, back to a spiky-blond haired boy she would probably never see again. Cloud, she thought silently. I wonder whatever happened to him? 

As if an answer to her question, she heard a low moan ahead of her. Curious, she followed the moan to its source, stopping in front of a familiar figure slumped on the steps of the train station. Her heart stopped momentarily, and her body began to tremble as she recognized the man in front of her. 

She crouched down to her knees and put a shaky hand on the man's shoulder. "Cloud, is that you?" she asked. Her voice was a nervous tremor. 

"Wha--who?" asked the man as he looked up at Tifa, his glowing green eyes devoid of intelligence. 

"Cloud?" Tifa asked again, unsure. 

"Cloud," the man repeated. "I'm Cloud?" 

Tifa nodded her head slowly her eyes were locked to his and like magic, his green eyes sparkled with life and he jumped to his feet, almost knocking Tifa off balance. 

"Yes! I am Cloud Strife!" Cloud exclaimed, declaring his identity to the world. 

Tifa quickly hid her shocked expression and stood up. She forced her face into a false smile. "Yes, you are. Do you remember me, Cloud?" she asked, hope filling her voice. 

Cloud turned his attention to her, there was a moment of hesitation before he spoke. "Tifa," he said in a soft voice. "it's been a long time." 

Tifa smiled and cupped her hands together. He remembers me! "Yeah, how long has it been?" 

Cloud ran his right hand through his blonde hair, straightening out a few stray hairs and shrugged. "About five years..." 

Five years? Tifa thought to herself. It's been longer than that -- but does it really matter? "Yeah," she agreed slowly. "it's been a very long time. What are you doing here in Midgar?" 

He shrugged again. "I--I don't know. To be a mercenary I guess. I've quit SOLDIER." 

"Quit SOLDIER? Why? I thought it was your dream." Tifa asked startled. 

Cloud ran his right hand through his thick hair once again and shrugged. "Yeah well, things change." he said in a soft voice. "It was nice seeing you again, Tifa, but I've got to get going. I need to find a place to stay." 

Hearing those words, Tifa began to panic. Here he was, Cloud Strife, after so long and against all odds, she had finally found him, and now he was leaving. She couldn't let him walk out of her life again. In a panicked voice she said, "Cloud, wait! You're a mercenary now, right?" After his nod, she continued. "Well, I have a friend named Barret, he leads a group called AVALANCE..." 

---- 

The train moved at a slow pace, and within its hold, it carried the rebel group known as AVALANCE. They all stood in somber silence, each thinking their own thoughts, and dealing with their inner demons and guilt. 

Barret Wallace shrugged his shoulders and tried to shake his feeling of dread. Blowing up that reactor was necessary, right? Shinra was killing the planet with those damn Mako Reactors, and if they didn't do anything, then the whole world was doomed. Still, even with that knowledge, he couldn't completely justify his actions. 

"So, I guess Cloud didn't make it," Biggs said in a disappointed voice. 

Barret just grunted and slammed his fist on a crate next to him. "It's his own damn fault!" He slammed his fist down again, and the sound of his fist impacting against wood resonated throughout the whole room. 

Yeah, well, I hope he's okay, Jesse thought to herself while looking out the window, a somber expression on her face. He was kinda cute. She saw a flash of blue outside the window and her eyes widened when she recognized the figure. She was about to speak but was cut off by a loud pounding on the door. 

Barret jerked his gaze towards the door, and his eyes narrowed. He looked to Biggs and Wedge and put his right finger to his lips, indicating silence. Slowly, trying not to make a sound, he moved towards the control panel by the door. With his gun arm ready, he hit the switch and the sliding door opened with a loud swish! 

A gust of wind blew into the car and Barret nearly lost his footing when he saw two crystal green eyes staring at him. "Jackass! You scared me half to death!" Barret screamed as he took a step backwards away from the door. "Do you always have to make an entrance?" 

Cloud hovered nonchalantly, outside the moving train. With a shrug of his shoulders, he floated into the small cab and landed lightly on his feet. "I guess. That's just the way I am." 

Barret shook his head in defeat and walked to the other cab, motioning for the others to follow him. Biggs and Wedge immediately moved to comply with the big mans orders while Cloud just looked on in confusion. Jesse lingered until the others were out of earshot. 

She moved towards Cloud and said, "I'm glad you made it," she looked down at her shoes, a blush forming on her cheeks. "by the way, thanks for helping me back there." 

---- 

The weather outside was wicked and foul. The winds howled their displeasure and the rain poured from the heavens in heavy drops the size of golf balls. 

Amidst this powerful storm, one lone figure walked, carrying a heavy burden across his shoulders. "Damn, Cloud! You're heavy! When you get better, I suggest that you go on a diet." he complained, while shifting the unconscious form on his shoulders. 

A small groan was his only response. Zack walked through the storm, fighting against the ever increasing power of the wind and the sheer cold, until finally, he came upon an entrance to a small cave. 

The cave was small, but it was warm and comfortable. He laid Cloud gently on the ground and started to look for anything flammable. Hoping that there would be enough to at least start a small fire.


End file.
